Collapsible box.



Patented May 24, 1904.

CHARLES H. STONEBFIDGE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COLLAP-SIBQLE Box.

SPECIFIGATIONforIhing parti of Letters Patent No. 760,660, dated May 24,1904;

Application filed December 18, 1902. Serial No. 135,777. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. STONE- BRIDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to collapsible boxes, and more particularly to collapsible lanterns having a foldable boX-1ike body, and in its more particular embodiment constitutes improvements upon the invention disclosed in prior Letters Patent of the United States is sued to me November 27, 1900, No. 662,474. In said former Letters Patent I have disclosed a collapsible lantern-body consisting of a plurality of body'members or sections pivotally connected and two of which are detachably pivotally connected by means of securing devices, so that the body members can be folded in compact form one upon the other. Pivotally connected with one of the body members is a top member provided with detachable securing means for connecting it with another of the body members and in operative position, and pivotallyconnectedwith. said top member is a guard formed of two pivotally connected members and provided with detachable securing devices for securing it in operative position in connection with the top member. Pivotally connected with one 'of. the body members is a bottom member provided with detachable securing devices for connecting it with another of the body members in operative position. said bottom member also embodying candle-holding devices.

According to the present invention I pro vide a lantern-body consisting of a plurality of pivotally-connected members adapted to be folded one upon the other without relative separation of any of the same, which result is obtained by proper proportioning and rela tive' arrangement and operativeconnection of the several members. The securing devices for the bottom member, the top member, and the guard upon the top member are permanently attached, which prevents loss or misplacement of the same and renders the operation of collapsing or setting up more simple and convenient.

The main features of the present invention will be readily understood by reference to said prior Letters Patent and the present drawings, in which latter I'have shown principally the features of improvement .embodied in the present invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

I which form part of this specification, and in which like reference characters denote like parts in the several. views, Figure 1 is an end view of a collapsible lantern embodying the present improvements and in collapsed p'osition.

top member and the bottom member in extended position. Fig. 4 is a'transverse secbers and showing the relative proportions and operative connections of the same. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through the said bottom member and il1us-.

is provided. Fig. 5 is a'detail side elevation showing a modified form of construction of Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same. i Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same with the tional view taken through the four body mem trating the operationof placinga candle in a candle-holder withwhich the bottom member the securing devices. Fig. 6 is a view similar V to Fig. .4 and showing a modified form ofc'onstruction of the body members, and Fig. 7 is an end view-of the body members shown in Fig. 6, the same being in. collapsed position or condition. i

Referring with particularity to the drawings, the improved lantern comprises a body portion 1, consisting of a plurality of pivotally-.

connected side or body members a, b, c, and d, a

top member 2, pivotally connected with the side member 0 of the body portion, and a bottom member 3, pivotally connected with the side member 60f the bodyportion. The top member 2 is provided with a foldableguard 2 for an'air-opening 2 in the top member. Each of the pivotal connections, four in number, of

the four side members a, 5, 0, and d, the pivotal connection of the top member 2 with the side member 0, and the pivotal connection of the bottom member 3 with the side member 6 consist of a plurality of knuckles 4, formed upon the con-Z nected members and fixed pintles 5, 5', 5 -5 and 5 passing through the several knuckles.

The securing devices 6, which are of identical formation in the several embodiments, consist each of a plurality of knuckles 7 formed upon the members to be connected, and a slidable latch 8, which is permanently connected with one of the members in connection with which it is used and coacts with the knuckles 7 upon both members in connection with which it is used. Said latch 8 is preferably formed of a single length of stiff wire 8, which is bent into two parallel portions 8 and 8, respectively, connected by a short portion 8. The length 8 is passed through a flange 9, formed upon the member, as 8, with which the latch 8 is connected, and upon either side of the same, so as to be slidable therethrough, and is provided at its outer end with a lip or head 8 adapted for engagement with said flange 9 to limit the outward movement of the latch 8. The length 8 is arranged for slidable play through the several knuckles 7 upon the member, as 3, with which the latch 8 is connected and is permanently installed in one of the same, from which it is prevented from detachment by the lip or'head 8 and its engagement with the flange 9. hen the two members, as 3, and the side member (Z are to be connected, the latch 8 is drawn outwardly to the limit of its play, the knuckles of both of the members are fitted together, and the latch 8 is then simply forced inwardly, so as to pass the length 8 of the same through all of the knuckles 7. The inward movement of the latch 8 is limited by the short connecting length or portion 8 of the latch 8. This operation is reversed for disconnection of the members. The number of the knuckles 7 and the specific relative arrangement of the same and of the flange 9 may be varied to adapt the securing devices 6 to connection with the several'members.

In the modified form of construction shown in Fig. 5 the top member 2 and the side member a are shown as detachably connected by securing devices '10, which consist of a depending keeper 11, formed upon the edge of the top member 2 and provided with a slidable hook 12, playing in an elongated slot 13 in the keeper 11, said hook being thus pivotally mounted and adapted for connection with an eye 14:, arranged upon the member a. By employing the securing devices 10 in connection with the side member a and the top member 2 and with the side member (2 and the bottom member 3 when the parts are all in collapsed and folded position the top member and the bottom member may be firmly locked in flat connection with said side members a and (Z, the top member then being connected with the side member d and the bottom member with the side member a.

To enable the side members a, b, c, and (/Z to be folded together in flat condition, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, I form the side members a andd of equal length and the side members b and c of equal length, but slightly shorter than the side members (1/ and (Z. The pintles 5 embodied in the pivotal connections of the side members a, 7), a, and (I are so combined with the knuckles 4: that with the parts in set-up position, as shown in Fig. 4, the side members a and (Z overlap the pintle 5 by which they are connected and the pintles 5, 5, 5, and 5 by which they are connected, respectively, with the members 6 and 0. The side member 0 underlaps the pintle 5 by which it is connected with the side member (Z and extends into alinement with the axis of the pintle 5 by which it is connected with the member 7), and the member 6 underlaps the pintle 5 by which it is connected with the member a and extends into alinement with the axis of the pintle 5 by which it is connected with the member 0. This formation and association of the several members results in a substantially rectangular arrangement of the side members when the same are set up and enables them to be folded upon the pintle 5 between the members a and d as a hinge, the pintle 5 connecting the members 6 and 0 being folded inwardly, so that when the side members are in folded position the members a and (Z occupy exterior positions and the members 7) and c interior positions.

The candle-holder 15, with which the bottom member 3 is provided, is arranged above an opening 16 in said bottom member, and a plurality of spring-lingers 17 are grouped about the same, said opening 16 being provided with asliding closure 18, arranged between thebottom member and a keeper 19, connected with the bottom member, as at 20, and upon which latter the spring-fingers 17 are mounted. The opening 16 provides for the insertion and withdrawal of the candle in connecting the same with and disconnecting the same from the spring-fingers 17 In the construction shown in Fig. 6 of the four body members a, f, g, and h is broader and it is narrower than 7" and 7, which are the same width. This enables the parts to be collapsed, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6, into the positions shown in Fig. 7, in which the pintles 5 lie between the several body members, the entirety being in perfectly flat folded condition. In this construction and arrangement of parts it will be noted that the three body members of lesser width lie within the limits of the points of pivotal connection of said body members of lesser width with said body member of greatest width whenall of said body membcrsare folded together-in flat contact, the body member a being the body member of greatest width.

The operation and advantages of the present improvements will be readily understood by reference to said prior Letters Patent initially referred to and to the preceding description and the accompanying drawings, The side members a, b, 0, and (Z of the body portion 1 are readily folded together in flat position when out of use and when extended into operative position are maintained in such position by connecting the bottom member 3 and the 'top member 2 with the side members by means of the securing devices 6 or 12. The guard 2 upon the top member 2 may be similarly secured in extended position by means of its securing devices 6 and may be folded flat upon the top member when out of use. The sliding closure 18 for theopening 16 in the bottom member prevents the dripping of candle-grease. from the candle-holder.

I do not desire tobe understood as limiting myself to the specific details of construction and association of parts as herein described and shown, but reserve the right to vary the same in adapting my improvements to varying conditions of use without departing from the spirit of my invention or the terms of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a device of the class described, a bottom member provided with an opening, a keeper arranged adjacent to said opening and provided with a plurality of spring-fingers constituting a candle-holder, and a slidable closure for said opening arranged between said keeper and said bottom member.

2. In a device of the class described, a body portion consisting of a plurality of fiat body continuous series, one of said body members being of greater and one of lesser dimension between its respective points of pivotal connection with the other body members than the similar dimensions of said other body members the pivotal connections being oppositely members pivotally connected together in a p arranged whereby said body members may be folded together serially in flat contact one with the other and within the limits of the points of pivotal connection with the other body members of said body member of greater dimension. I

3. In a device of the class descrlbed, a body portion consisting of four body members pivotally connected together in a continuous series, two of said body members being of CHARLES H. STONEBRIDGE.

Witnesses:

L. F. SULLIVAN, RAYMOND I. BLAKEsLEE. 

